The Euro 2024 tournament kicked off with an exciting group stage, setting the stage for the knockout rounds. Featuring 24 of Europe’s top national teams, the Euro 2024 Group Stage was full of drama, surprises, and outstanding football. Let’s delve into the format, results, and key highlights from this initial phase of the competition.
Euro 2024 Group Stage Format Explained
The Euro 2024 group stage adopted a format where the 24 participating nations were divided into six groups, labeled Group A through Group F. Each group contained four teams, who competed in a round-robin format. This meant every team played three matches against the other teams within their group.
Points were awarded in each match: three for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams from each of the six groups automatically qualified for the Round of 16, the first knockout stage. Adding to the excitement, the four best third-placed teams across all groups also advanced to complete the sixteen teams in the knockout phase. This system ensured that strong performances were rewarded, and added an extra layer of competitiveness to each group.
Euro 2024 Group Stage Match Results
The Euro 2024 group stage delivered a series of compelling matches. Here’s a breakdown of the results across each group:
Group A Euro 2024 Group Stage Results
- June 14: Germany 5-1 Scotland (Munich)
- June 15: Hungary 1-3 Switzerland (Cologne)
- June 19: Germany 2-0 Hungary (Stuttgart)
- June 19: Scotland 1-1 Switzerland (Cologne)
- June 23: Switzerland 1-1 Germany (Frankfurt)
- June 23: Scotland 0-1 Hungary (Stuttgart)
Group B Euro 2024 Group Stage Results
- June 15: Spain 3-0 Croatia (Berlin)
- June 15: Italy 2-1 Albania (Dortmund)
- June 19: Croatia 2-2 Albania (Hamburg)
- June 20: Spain 1-0 Italy (Gelsenkirchen)
- June 24: Albania 0-1 Spain (Düsseldorf)
- June 24: Croatia 1-1 Italy (Leipzig)
Group C Euro 2024 Group Stage Results
- June 16: Slovenia 1-1 Denmark (Stuttgart)
- June 16: Serbia 0-1 England (Gelsenkirchen)
- June 20: Slovenia 1-1 Serbia (Munich)
- June 20: Denmark 1-1 England (Frankfurt)
- June 25: England 0-0 Slovenia (Cologne)
- June 25: Denmark 0-0 Serbia (Munich)
Group D Euro 2024 Group Stage Results
- June 16: Poland 1-2 Netherlands (Hamburg)
- June 17: Austria 0-1 France (Düsseldorf)
- June 21: Poland 1-3 Austria (Berlin)
- June 21: Netherlands 0-0 France (Leipzig)
- June 25: France 1-1 Poland (Dortmund)
- June 25: Netherlands 2-3 Austria (Berlin)
Group E Euro 2024 Group Stage Results
- June 17: Romania 3-0 Ukraine (Munich)
- June 17: Belgium 0-1 Slovakia (Frankfurt)
- June 21: Slovakia 1-2 Ukraine (Düsseldorf)
- June 22: Belgium 2-0 Romania (Cologne)
- June 26: Ukraine 0-0 Belgium (Stuttgart)
- June 26: Slovakia 1-1 Romania (Frankfurt)
Group F Euro 2024 Group Stage Results
- June 18: Turkey 3-1 Georgia (Dortmund)
- June 18: Portugal 2-1 Czechia (Leipzig)
- June 22: Georgia 1-1 Czechia (Hamburg)
- June 22: Turkey 0-3 Portugal (Dortmund)
- June 26: Czechia 1-2 Turkey (Hamburg)
- June 26: Georgia 2-0 Portugal (Gelsenkirchen)
Key Moments and Surprises from the Euro 2024 Group Stage
The Euro 2024 group stage wasn’t short of memorable moments. Germany’s dominant opening performance set a strong tone for the tournament. Spain displayed their prowess in Group B, while England navigated a more challenging path in Group C. Group E saw Romania and Slovakia initially surprise many, and Group F provided drama until the final matches.
Several underdogs exceeded expectations, making the race for the best third-placed teams particularly intense. The Euro 2024 group stage underlined the competitive nature of European football and set an exciting precedent for the knockout rounds to come. Football fans eagerly anticipate the next phase of the tournament, following the compelling narratives established during the group stage.
